Borough Warden Opposed

For First Time Since 1991

By John Voket

Joan Crick has enjoyed almost 14 years unfettered by concerns of biennial campaigning to keep her $2,500-a-year borough warden position. But come May, Ms Crick, who has been a familiar face in borough leadership since becoming a burgess in 1980, is facing a challenger.

On February 15, borough residents gathered at Town Hall South, and Victor Krochta gathered enough support to run for the top elected post in this town-within-a-town.

Besides a letter to The Bee in which Mr Krochta thanks fellow residents for their support, he was withholding everything but general comments in a follow-up phone conversation Tuesday.

Contacted at his residence on The Boulevard, the newly nominated warden candidate said he was consulting with supporters, and reiterated the information contained in his brief letter.

“In the near future I’ll be preparing comments about the concerns I think are important to the borough,” he said. “I will say that I plan to run a clean campaign which will be focused on issues.”

Mr Krochta said he had no specific complaints about the job Ms Crick was doing, and suggested that mounting an opposing campaign was one way to address issues that may be on the minds of qualified voters.

On Wednesday morning, Ms Crick told The Bee that she was surprised to hear of Mr Krochta’s candidacy, but that she prevailed against not only her last warden challenger in 1991, but against an entire slate of burgess challengers who also mounted opposition in that election.

“Normally the borough conducts its business in nonpartisan fashion,” she said. “But he has a right as a borough voter to seek a nomination.”

Ms Crick explained that in the incorporated Borough of Newtown, a designated area within the town center, has a warden that acts as the CEO or elected chief or first selectman, and its governing administrators are burgesses, functioning similarly to the town’s Legislative Council.

Following her tenure, first as a burgess, then as treasurer, and finally as warden of the borough, Ms Crick also faced opposition during her very first run for the warden post.

“I was actually appointed to the warden position to replace my predecessor who was leaving midterm,” she explained. “That was in 1988. In May of 1989, I ran and won in my own right against an opposing slate.”

Although neither Ms Crick nor Mr Krochta were at liberty to discuss firm campaign plans, both indicated they were working with constituents and supporters, formulating plans for their respective endeavors.

“I’m really not certain yet how I’m going to handle this,” Ms Crick said. “But I haven’t laid any firm plans yet.”

Mr Krochta said in his letter that he wanted to be sure all qualified borough residents have the opportunity to vote in the upcoming May election. He offered to bring any borough resident who is not yet registered, a registration card.

“Call the registrar of voters…or I will personally bring you one,” he wrote.